Republican Presidential Candidates Ramp Up Efforts in Wisconsin

CBS 58—Presidential candidates are ramping up efforts in Wisconsin ahead of the April 5 primary.

Wednesday Ohio Governor John Kasich and Texas Senator Ted Cruz made stops in the Milwaukee area. UW Milwaukee Professor Mordecai Lee says Wisconsin is a vital state for both candidates.

“It's even possible that the Wisconsin primary is going to be the knock-out blow for somebody,” Lee said.

The state's overall winner gets 18 delegates and the winner of each congressional district gets three more.

“What all the campaigns are doing is they're focusing on Wisconsin by congressional district,” Lee said.

Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz are the only two Republicans who could get 1237 delegates and clinch the nomination. So for Gov. Kasich it's about staying alive and preventing anyone from reaching that magic number.

“I think he's going for them and I think he's going for a respectable turnout in the sense of maybe he can win a congressional district or two,” Lee said. “And that would then be his rational to stay in the race.”

At a town hall in Wauwatosa Wednesday, Gov. Kasich told potential voters he's the unifying candidate, touting recent polls that show him winning the general election.

“I'm the only one that beats Hillary Clinton,” Gov. Kasich said.

Meanwhile Sen. Cruz is painting himself as the only candidate who could beat front-runner Donald Trump.

“The policies Donald has supported are not gonna fix with the problems we have in this country,” Sen. Cruz said. “He’s very good at yelling about the problems but he has no answers.”

And Lee says that message could play well with Wisconsin voters.

“I suspect that between him being the Conservative and him being the alternative to Donald Trump, that he has a chance of doing well,” Lee said.

There’s no word if Donald Trump will make stops in Wisconsin. He did open two offices in the state this week.